Micromorphology and Anatomy of the Flowers in Clivia spp. and Scadoxus multiflorus (Haemantheae, Amaryllidaceae)

Abstract

Abstract The general morphology, micromorphology, and anatomy of the flowers of Clivia miniata , Clivia nobilis , and Scadoxus multiflorus were studied using light microscopy. The studied species have large syntepalous and trimerous flowers, short floral tubes with adnate stamens, and inferior ovaries that develop baccate fruit. The gynoecium in the studied species consists of synascidiate, symplicate, and hemisymplicate zones. The style is composed of postgenitally fused carpels. The few ovules are located in a locule in the synascidiate and symplicate zones in C. miniata and C. nobilis , whereas in S. multiflorus , solitary ovules occupy the synascidiate zone in each locule. The septal nectaries are located in the hemisymplicate zone and occupy the uppermost 29% to 56% of the ovary height. Septal nectaries are of the nonlabyrinthine lilioid-type, covered with secretory tissue only in its lower portion. Nectary channels are apical or subapical and open near the style base. A common pattern of the venation of the floral parts was observed in all species: Tepal traces and stamen traces were fused in the ovary wall, the style was supplied by dorsal carpellary bundles, and ovules were supplied by ventral carpellary bundles entering the ovary from the bottom. The observed gynoecium inner structure provides adaptations for the development of fleshy fruit, with thickened parenchymous ovary wall, ovary base, and ovary roof, and numerous branched vascular bundles in the ovary wall around locules.